Rev. Angel Armando Perez Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Young Boy Gets Loan From Archdiocese for Defense
The Oregonian reported, Archbishop John G. Vlazny approved the loan to Rev. Perez last week. The police said Perez chased a 12-year-old boy down a Woodburn street early while dressed only in his underwear.
The boy told investigators he ran from the minister's house while Perez chased after him. The boy said a nearby bystander gave him a ride to his sibling's house early the next morning.
The 46-year-old parish priest of St. Luke Catholic Church appeared in court on accusations of:
- sexual abuse
- abuse of a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct
- furnishing alcohol to a minor
- and driving under the influence
The boy told authorities the priest gave him a beer and Perez also fondled him. He says he doesn't remember what happened after he and the boy watched a movie. Court documents filed after Perez's arrest say the boy awoke to camera flashes and thinks the priest was taking photos of him.
The director of the Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), David Clohessy, said the church will cover the cost of defense for priests "in the overwhelming majority of cases," but it's usually not called a loan.
"I don't think they've ever called it a loan and, frankly, we think that's pretty disingenuous," Clohessy said. "On a priest's salary, there's virtually no chance that it'll ever be repaid, especially if he's found guilty."Rev. Perez has hired a prominent Portland attorney named Marc Blackman, who has handled a several high-profile cases.
The offer to cover Perez's defense costs was likely a strategic move, Clohessy said.
"We suspect the goal here is to intimidate others who were hurt by Father Perez or other clerics into staying silent or settling quietly," Clohessy said. "The signal he's sending is, 'Don't think this is going to be easy.'"
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